Method of and apparatus for the coating cores



June 24, 1930. w, JESPERSEN 1,765,533

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR COATING CORES Filed Feb. 16, 1929 i lll lh Patented dune 24, 193

rarnnr; airmen HELGQ WIGGO JESFERSEN, @F WESTERN SPRINGS, ILLINQIQ, AfiSJIGrhTQE IlQ WESTERN ELECTRIC? CUMPANY, INUORPQRATED, (OF NEW YQELK, Fl. 1 A @QRPQFATIQN @F METHOD 035' AND APFAFAT'UEE FQR THE GQATKNG GQEtJit rlpplicationflled February M5, 19%. Serial No. sconce.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for coating cores, and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for coating conductors with a fibrous insulation.

Heretofore in applying pulp insulation to conductors in strand form, it has been the practice in some instances to employ a hollow drum which is rotatably mounted in a receptacle containing a pulpous mixture, the drum having a foraminous circumferential portion which supports the core.' The level of the pulp mixture within the drum is maintained lower than the level of the mixture in the receptacle so that a circulation of pulp material into the drum through the foraminous portion is maintained, and consequently the pulp is caused to be formed on the foraminous portion and applied to the core sup-ported thereon. In order to accommodate a plurality of cores, non-foraminous dalns or deckles have been placed on the foraminous circum ferential portion of the drum in spaced relation there-across in order to confine the deposition of pulp in ribbon form for each of the plurality of cores.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of coating stranded cores and an apparatus for coating stranded cores which will be eficient, economical, and compact.

One embodiment of the invention contemplates the provision of a mechanism which includes a distributor or head boxhaving a plurality of restricted orifices arran ed in a row at the bottom thereof, and a rnol ing apparatus. The latter comprises a rotating member having a foraminous surface, and a stationary suction box located interiorly thereof consisting, in its upper portion, of an air duct and in its lower portion, of a water box. The air pressure within the suction box is maintained substantially lower than atmos-' pheri'c, with the result that a pul ous mixture, upon being fed from the ori ces of the head box upon a plurality of spaced wires carried by the rotating member and passed between the orifices and the rotating member, is deposited in comparatively solid state around the wires, the liquid portion of the mixture being drawn through the foraminous surface of the rotating member into the suction box. The wires, with the coating of pulp thus deposited upon them in ribbon form, are subsequently subjected to pressure to remove additional moisture and finally passed through polishers which treat the pulp deposition to form a homogenous coating for the wire.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be derived from the following description read in connection with the ac companying drawings forming a part thereof, in which Fig. l is a diagrammatic view partly in section of an apparatus embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fraentary section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section talren from the front of the distributing chamber, showing the manner of deposition of the insulation, and

Fig. 4L is an enlarged fraentary side view in section of the distributing chamber, showin details of the deposition.

dn order to make clear the steps of the method and the apparatus withwhich it may be racticed, thelatter will be described first an a more complete detail of the method referred to thereafter.

A plurality of reels 10 for supplying a plurality of wires 11 to be coated are shown, from which the wires pass over a grooved ulley 12 onto a travelling foraminous mem er of a suction chamber forming part of a molding apparatus, denoted generally by the numeral 13. The molding apparatus comprises are tatable drum M havin circular end walls upon which is mounte a foraminous portion consisting of a layer of fine screen 17 which therein when the machine is in operation back ing the tension of the W is superimposed upon a layer of coarse screen 18, and a distributor or head box 19 physically separate from the drum 14 which feeds a stream of a pulpous mixture 20 to the drum. Located interiorly of the drum is a stationary suction-box 21 comprising bearing lips 22, an air duct 23, and a water box 24. The Water box 24 is located at a lower level than the air duct and is fitted at an extremity with a condu'it 26. The suction box 21 is secured in a housing 27 and mounted upon side supports 28-28. The end walls 16 of the rotatable drum are mounted upon ball bearings 29-29 to permit its smooth and ready rotation around the stationary suction box 21.

Located beneath the molding apparatus 13 and mounted upon the support 28 is a basin 31. A well 32 comprises walls 33-33 and a floor 34, and is rovided with a partition 36 which divides from the main portion of the well 32 and outlet chamber 37. The height of the partition 36 -is such that it maintains in the main portion of the well a stand of water sufliciently high to form an effective water seal to overcome the tendency of the water in the well to be forced upwardly by atmospheric pressure into the suction box 21. Located at the bottom of the outlet chamber 37 is a pipe for conducting white water accumulated to a pulp mixing apparatus (not shown). The outlet chamber 37 is provided with a waste water pipe 39 for conductingto a sewer or other suitable disposing means, an overflow of water equivalent in volume to that quantity which is admitted into the system for the purpose of accelerating the flow of 111 v p T he distributor or head box 19 is provided with a perpendicular front wall 41 and an inclined rear wall 42, and at the bottom is provided with spaced restricted orifices 43 which are individually equipped with inclined side walls 44 which meet at the top as shown in Fig. 3 in order to prevent accumulation and clogging of the pulp. A continuous supply of the pulpous mixture is furnished to the head box 19 by any suitable pumping means (not shown) through a pipe 46 leading from a conventional stufi chest (not shown) which constitutes a source of supply.

roll 56 which is mounted upon an axis 57 which is journalled in supports 58. An arm 59 and the supports 58 are integrally formed and are rotatable about a horizontal axis 61 which acts as a fulcrum to press the couch roll against the cylinder mold drum in accordance with the distance from the axis 61 of a weight 62 which is slidable on the arm 59. From the couch roll the web passes over a roller 63 and under a press roll 64 which rotates about an axis 66. An arm 67 supporting the press roll 64 is variable in position about a pivot 68 in accordance with the position on the arm 67 of a slidably mounted weight 69. From thence, the web 47 passes over rollers 71, 72 and 73 into a primary cleaning box 74 which may correspond with the apparatus described in my co-pending application No. 329,889, filed J anuary 2, 1929, an element of which is indicated by the foraminous drum 76. The primary cleaning box 74 is provided at the bottom with an outlet pipe 77 which conducts to a sewer or any other suitable disposing means (not shown) the water employed in cleaning the web.

The secondary web 48 is passed around a roller 78 and a stretcher roll 79 which is so mounted as to be adjustable to modify the tension upon the web 48. From thence the web passes around roller 81 to roller 63 over which roller it passes in conjunction With the primary web. From the roller 63 the web passes to a press roll 82 which is mounted upon a stationary axis 83. The press rolls 64 and 82 are mounted over a basin 84 which is provided with an outlet pipe 86 for returning to the well 32 the water which is pressed from the pulp coating by the rollers. From thence the web is routed over rollers 87 and 88 to a secondary web cleaning box 89 where it is passed over a foraminous rotating drum 91 as described in the above mentioned co-pending application. The web cleaning box 89 is provided with an outlet pipe 92 for conducting to a sewer or other suitable disposing means (not shown) the water used in the cleaning of the web.

,A polisher 93, rotatably mounted in supports 9494, is provided for each of the wires to insure that the coating is pressed firmly therearound before the coated wires \are forwarded for final total drying and reel- A continuously travelling belt or web sysing.

tem is provided consisting of two coo crating webs, a primary web 47 and a secon ary web 48. The primary web is routed around rollers 49, 51 and 52 over a roller 53, which is made adjustable for the urpose of regulateb, and over a roller 54. Upon leaving the roller 54 the web is brought-closely in contact with coated wires 55 immediately after the pulp de osition has been made thereon at the 'head ox. From the roller 54 the web passes around. a couch The apparatus described is actuated through the medium of press roll 82, positively driven from any suitable source of power (not shown), which exerts the neces sary tractive force on the companion press roll 64 and the associated webs to operate the remaining portions of the apparatus.

The felt webs are drawn tightly around all of the rotating bearing surfaces by the stretcherrolls 53 and 7 9, and an equal tension is thereby impressed upon all portions menses Vcured by pressure upon its exterior of the portion of the primary web extending from roller 54: to the couch roll 56.

The head box 19 is sufiiciently offset from the center line of the drum 14 to insure that the wire fed from supply reel 10 around the pulley 12 is subjected to the flow of pulpous mixture before it is permitted to bear upon the foraminous surface of the drum as shown in Fig. 4:. By this means a substantial portion of the pulp flow provided is enabled to reach the surface of the drum before the wire is impressed thereon, thus providing positive means for insuring that the coating of pulp is deposited upon both upper and lower sides of the wire. The bearing lips 22 of the suction box 21 are caused to be in line and directly beneath the orifice d3 of the head box. By this means a vacuum produced in the suction box 21 by the air pump will not only accelerate the flow of pulp from the head box but will simultaneously act to remove therefrom a large portion of its moisture content.

Between the roller 54 and the couch roll 56 considerable pressure is exerted upon the wire and its coating of pulp, with the result that the coating is pressed firmly upon the wire which, with its surrounding coating, is carried ofi the surface of the cylinder mold by the primary web, rotated around the couch roll 56 and carried upwardly to roller 63. At that point the wire and its associated pulp coating is firmly pressed between the primary and secondary webs. Upon reaching the press rolls 6% and 82 the pressure exerted upon the stationary press roll 82 by the combined weight of'the roller 64 and weight 69 squeezes a large percentage of the remaining water content from the coating and when after leaving the press rolls the wire is carried on the lower surface of the web to the roller 71 its coating is in a comparatively dry state. At the roller 71 the coated wire is drawn into the polisher 93 and the web is routed over rollers 72 and 73 to the cleaning box 74. i

The roller members which engage the coated wire are so positioned with respect of each other that pressure is applied alternately to the opposite sides of the coating during travel of the wire from the point at which it first engages the surface bf the drum 14: to the polisher 93, as to insure that the wire will be accurately centered with reference to its fibrous coating. The production of a wire evenly insulated is thus indicated. Y

A preferred form of the invention discloses the use of restricted orifices in the head box. Since it may be desirable at times to in crease or decrease the size of these orifices for various purposes, as for instance, to accord with a changed consistency of pulp or in accordance with other selected characteristics which it is desired to produce in the finished product, adjustable nozzles may be fitted to the orifices. lit may be observed that the size and thickness of the ribbon of pulp may also be readily regulated by varying the speed of operation of the device without modifying the size of the restricted orifice, since the amount of pulp deposited over a given length of core at a g1ven rate of flow will vary with the speed of the apparatus. By varying the pressure of the couch roll 56 against the cylinder mold drum a tendency of the drum to drag or to operate stiffly may be compensated through increasing the distance between the fulcrum 61 of the couch roll support and the weight 62 upon the arm 59.

lit should also be noted that means has been provided whereby a constant proportion of water to the plup is maintained in the system through the provision of the well 32 with its associated outlet chamber 37 and waste water outlet pipe 39. By this means the water freed from the pulpous mixture by the suction means 21 is delivered to the well 32 which, when allowedto fill to overflowing, will empty into the outlet chamber 37 where the white water is returned to the system by conduit 38 and a suitable associated pumping means (not shown).

The foregoing describes but one of a number of embodiments in which my invention is capable of being employed, and it should accordingly be understood that the scope thereof should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

'1. The method of coating a core in strand form which consists in projecting a liquid containing pulp in a stream around the core to form a coating thereupon, and separating the liquid from the pulp.

2. The method of coating a core in strand form which consists in projecting a liquid containing pulp in a stream around the core to form a coatmg thereupon, subjecting the coating to a forced current of air to remove the free liquid therefrom, and subjecting the coating to pressure to further remove liquid therefrom.

3. The method of coating a core in strand form which consists in subjecting the core to a jet of liquid containing pulp to form a coating on the core, supporting the, core at spaced points while its coating is subjected to a form which consists in projecting a liquid containing pulp in a stream around the core to form a coating therefor, supporting and moving the coating transversely through a forced current of air to remove the free liquid therefrom, and subjecting the coating to pressure to further remove liquid therefrom.

5. The method of coating a core in strand form which consists in projecting a jet of liquid containing pulp around the core to form a coating therefor, supporting the core and moving it transversely through a forced current of air, and subjecting the coating to pressure to further remove liquid therefrom. 6. The method of coating a core in strand form which consists in projecting a'liquid containing pulp in a stream around thecore to form a coating thereupon, subjecting the coated core to a forced current of air to remove free liquid therefrom, subjecting the coated core to pressure to further remove liquid therefrom, and subjecting the coated core to a frictional pressure to cause the coating to adhere firmly thereto.

7. In an apparatus for coating cores in strand form, a receptacle having an orifice for distributing a coating material in liquid state at a predetermined rate, a supporting member for presenting a core to be coated to the orifice, and a suction means for accelerating the speed of distribution of coating material upon the core beyond the predetermined rate.

8. In anapparatus for coating cores in strand form, a receptacle having an orifice for distributing a coating material in a liquid state, a foraminous supporting member for presenting a core to be coated to the orifice of the receptacle, and a suction means associated with the supporting member for removing free liquid from the coating material.

9. In an apparatus for coating cores in strand form, a receptacle having an orifice for distributing a coating material in a liquid state at a predetermined rate, a foraminous supporting member for presenting a core to be coated to the orifice, and a suction means associated with the foraminous supporting member for accelerating the speed of distribution of coating material upon the core beyond the predetermined rate and for separat ing a liquid from the coating material.

10. In an apparatus for coating cores in strand form, a receptacle having a restricted orifice for projecting a jet of liquidcontaining pulp, a rotatable foraminous member for presenting a core to be coated to the jet, and a stationary suction means mounted internally of the foraminous member for assisting the projection of pulp and for separating liquid from the pulp deposition.

11. In an apparatus for producing a deposition of matter in ribbon form, a rotatable for-aminous member, a receptacle having a ing to pressure to remove liquid therefrom.

4. The method of coating a core in strand restricted orifice for projecting a jet of a mixture of solid and liquid matter upon the rotatable member, suction means associated with HELGO WIGGO JESPERSEN.

, CERTIFICATE or CORREC'HHON.

Patent No. 1,765,533. v Granted June 24, 1930, to

HELGO WIGGO JESPERSEN.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, after line 130, claim 3, insert the syllable and words "ing to pressure to remove liquid therefrom" completing the claim; page 4, preceding line 1, insert "4. The method of coating a core in strand"; same page, claim 11, lines 64 and 65, strike out the syllable and words "ing to pressure-to remove liquid therefrom. 1 4. The method of coating score in strand? and that the said Letters Patent should be rend with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. v

Signed and sealed this 4th day of November, AD. 1930.

v M. J. Moore, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

